01/26/2026
𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭
—-
𝘉𝘺: 𝘕𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘦𝘳
—-
When the snow began to fall heavily over Rensselaer, it brought with it more than plows and salted roads. It brought a familiar but powerful response: community.
As flakes accumulated and conditions worsened, City of Rensselaer employees moved quickly into action. DPW crews worked long hours behind the wheel of plows and salt trucks, while emergency services remained on alert. At the same time, residents checked in on one another, shelters opened their doors, and neighbors found small but meaningful ways to help.
At Cuginos Pizzeria - Albany, Rensselaer, E.Greenbush & N.Greenbush, owner Lou Oliver saw the storm not just as a weather event, but as a human one. Watching DPW crews work through the night and realizing many would not make it home to their families, Oliver decided to act. He began cooking in earnest and shared a message on Facebook with a simple offer: any DPW worker in need of food or coffee was welcome to stop by for a hot meal and something warm to drink.
It was a gesture that resonated.
“Those guys are out there nonstop,” Oliver said. “They still have to eat.”
Residents noticed. On East Street, one neighbor reflected that moments like these remind people to check on one another and make sure everyone is okay. Another simply said it was good to see people come together when it matters most.
In a storm that tested patience and endurance, these small acts of generosity become the larger story. They underscored the quiet truth that in Rensselaer, community is not an abstract idea but a lived practice, especially when conditions are at their worst.
Cugino’s regular operating hours are:
Monday: 7 AM–2 PM
Tuesday: 7 AM–8 PM
Wednesday: 7 AM–8 PM
Thursday: 7 AM–8 PM
Friday: 7 AM–9 PM
Saturday: 4–9 PM
Sunday: 12–8 PM
As the snow tapers off and the city continues to dig out, it is these moments of shared responsibility and care that hold the longest.
Photo Credits: (Google)
